Muchinga General Enterprises Ltd using Solar Technology

The problems we are trying to solve are cutting down of trees for charcoal  by smallholder farmers in the dry season as source of income in the rural Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia which is affecting the climate change and shortage of food for the fast increasing population. The solution we are proposing is prospering together with smallholder farmers by innovation of changing their agricultural production cycle by the use of solar water pump systems for irrigation purpose and guaranteed market for cereal and legume crops at the local rural.

The solution will fight global hunger and preserve the environment by reduction of climate change. People will be eating real nutritious crops unlike fake foods produced from chemicals like plastic rice, fake chicken eggs made from chemicals  and reduce drastically serious diseases. 

The problems we are trying to solve are cutting down of trees for charcoal which is affecting the climate change and shortage of food for the fast increasing population. We want to preserve the Environment by motivating smallholder farmers at the local rural concentrating on farming as source of income unlike cutting down of trees for charcoal for sell by providing them guaranteed market of cereal and legume crops at the local rural  in Mafinga District Muchinga Province and Serenje District in Central Province Zambia. We want to prosper together with smallholder farmers in Mafinga District Muchinga Province and Serenje District Central Province Zambia by changing their agricultural production cycle and providing guaranteed market at the local rural for their crops.

The more than 15000 smallholder farmers will be motivated to concentrate on farming as the source of income because of the guaranteed market at the local rural for the crops they will be growing. In the long run because of the increased income that the rural smallholder farmers will have will start to purchase the solar water pump systems from our company instead of loans and will make it easier for them to pay. 

The population whose lives we are working to directly and meaningfully improve are more than 12000 smallholder farmers in Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia.We are creating guaranteed market of cereal and legume crops grown by smallholder farmers in rural area in Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia so that they increase the volume of production of cereal and legume crops thereby creating value of agribusiness while providing guaranteed supply to bulk buyers and processors that meet the quality, type, quantity and at market price. Selling solar water pump systems to smallholder farmers,sensitizing and training smallholder farmers about improved way to do farming using new innovative methods by installing solar water pumps for irrigation so that they have increased income and food security by growing crops throughout the year as well as overcome the risk of drought  and adapt to climate change as well as stop cutting down of trees for charcoal as source of income. We involve cooperatives and the District Agricultural Coordinator of the Ministry of Agriculture.

What differentiates us is the way the business model is designed to solve global challenges in terms of food and climate change using our agribusiness model by establishing centres in the rural in Muchinga and Central Provinces to guarantee the market at the local rural unlike these other traders who just go to the rural when they need the commodities. Our passion is to prosper together with smallholder farmers by changing their agricultural production cycle by innovations available while preserving the environment. Our main aim is to prosper together with the rural by taking all energy innovations available at the local rural and at the same time providing guaranteed market to the smallholder farmers for them to increase production of crops to feed the fast  increasing population on real foods which are nutritious.

Revenue will be generated by bulk sell of cereal and legume crops to bulk buyers and processors like manufacturing companies like millers, livestock manufacturers  that is with a mark-up on the cost of sales. The crops are bean coffee, maize, rice, common beans, millet, groundnuts, sorghum etc.

Solar water pump systems for irrigation will be sold to smallholder farmers initially on long term loan basis since we understand that they are the producers of our products.This is a strategy to develop the culture to adapt to drought as well as increase the volume of production by the use of irrigation. The solar water pump systems provided as loans will attract interest.

The smallholder farmers to be paid for commodities purchased from them using  mobile phone payment system for security in the rural both to the company  as well as smallholder farmers for them to increase saving as well as quick recovery of solar water pump systems loans. Another service is that of ploughing the fields quickly using the tractor for the smallholder farmers to increase size of hectares for growing crops under irrigation. This will increase income at household level as well as food security for smallholder farmers and for them to concentrate on farming as source of income unlike cutting trees for charcoal for sell which affect the climate change.

The innovation of changing the agricultural production cycle of the smallholder farmers especially women in Zambia to feed the world for education and cultural change. Smallholder farmer in the rural shall be provided with solar water pump systems as long term loans while providing guaranteed market for cereal and legume crops at the local rural. This will provide solutions for food security for the increasing population, adaptation to drought and develop the culture for having solar water pumps for irrigation of the smallholder farmers in the rural and stop just depending on rain for growing crops. To develop necessary capacity for smallholder farmers to solve new climate change challenges in agriculture, knowledge and skills required to take agriculture as business. 

The technological component is that at every location at the rural centre where we shall be bulking the crops purchased from smallholder farmers will have internet facility for e-commerce transactions and also for maintaining data for all smallholder farmers at the local rural. Another technological component is the solar water pump systems with total dynamic head of 90 meters and pump flow rate of 4600litres of water per hour for irrigation of different crops that will be provided to smallholder farmers as long term loans by our company so that they could be growing crops throughout the year and do fish farming. 

The business solves the problem by motivating smallholder farmers at the local rural to grow different types of crops throughout the year by the guaranteed market provided at the local rural level and by the use of solar water pump systems for irrigation thereby preserving the environment unlike cutting down of trees for charcoal as source of income. Bulk buyers and processors will know where to get the quality, quantity of crops needed at market price. The solar energy pump systems will be sold to smallholder farmers by providing long term loans by our company in form of solar water pump systems since these same smallholder farmers will be the producers of our other products which are the cereal and legume crops at the local rural to be sold by our company to bulk buyers and processors.

https://goo.gl/MlNJm3

We are currently serving 50 smallholder farmers and indirectly 3000.The fundamental part of our organisation is to have strategic seed company and Fertilizer Company from which to purchase the inputs and that the office is strategically located in the rural local area in Mafinga District and the people in this area depend on agriculture for their livelihood but lack access to inputs. The inputs will initially be distributed to fifty smallholder farmers after inspection of where they live and that they have land of one hectare to grow the maize and should know that the inputs distributed to them is a loan which have to be paid in form of the maize they are to harvest and we shall ensure the seed and fertilizers distributed to them is the one which gives 280 of 50kg per hectare with good management and shall only fully pay back the loan for 120 of 50kg bags so that other smallholder farmers should also benefit from the program after we sell these bags to purchase again inputs to distribute to other smallholder farmers.  We propose to start the pilot program on 1 November 2019 since the rain starts in November. 

Our long term passion and impact vision is to have 12000 poor smallholder farmers in Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia to have access to inputs in the next five years to produce more food for the global increasing population.

The expected total yield of maize from 50 smallholder farmers in one year is 50x 280 x 50kg of maize(corn) =700000kg= 700mt with the market value of $140000  Note that the price is set at $10 per 50kg bag of maize.

Our long term passion and impact vision is to have 12000 poor smallholder farmers in Mafinga District Muchinga Province Zambia to have access to inputs in the next five years to produce more food for the global increasing population.

The main barrier is that many smallholder farmers in Mafinga District and other rural parts of Zambia cannot afford to purchase the maize seed and fertilizers at which the price is set by seed and fertilizers companies.The distribution model specifically overcome the barrier for the poor also to have access of the inputs to grow the maize to have food security and increased income and reduce poverty.  Another barrier is financial to implement the model as designed. We need $120000 to accelerate.

US26,000 to purchase one brand new tractor and the implements so that more than 10000 smallholder farmers in Mafinga District to stop cutting trees for charcoal for sell and concentrate on farming,  USD18,000 to purchase solar water pumps systems for irrigation purposes. USD10,000 for construction of warehouse in Mafinga District Muchinga
Province Zambia for storage of crops and renovation of building purchased for warehouse and offices in Serenje District in the rural of Central
province as it is strategically located for transportation of crops for export
to eastern African countries and other foreign countries in the east. USD5000 will be used to purchase another motorcycle for mobilizing smallholder farmers in Mafinga District.Thebalance for purchasing cereal and legume crops from smallholder farmers to motivate them to increase the production of the nutritious crops to feed the increasing population.

With the resources we have like small office fitted with solar power for office equipment use. We need parthers who believe our impact vision to fight global hunger and climate change by prospering together with smallholder farmers by changing their agricultural production cycle and providing guaranteed market at their local rural and is the solution we are providing. We have three centers in the rural where we have to build warehouses for storage of crops purchased from smallholder farmers since the market of their cereal and legume crops will be guaranteed to feed the fast increasing population with real nutritious food.The amount needed for the pilot program is $20000. $2000 will be used to purchase 50x10kg seeds of maize at $40 per 10kg, $10400 will be used to purchase 400 bags of fertilizers to distribute to 50 smallholder farmers to receive 8 bags each and $8160/year as salaries and distribution and monitoring smallholder farmers during the pilot project and we shall make total turnover of 120 x50kgx $10=$60000 after repayment of loan by 50 smallholder farmers.

Not applicable

We have three full time and four part -time staff.

Our team  is best-placed to deliver this solution because Mr. Chaka Ng’ambi the founder and Managing Director of the company has more than ten years business management experience in many sectors, has basic agricultural  knowledge and is multi- skilled. Trained to size and install solar equipment and is 2018 Thought for Food Ambassador by unique agribusiness innovation which provides solution to feed  nine plus billion people by 2050.

 Mr. Kennedy Simwinga an Accounting Officer has more than eight years accounting experience.

Mr. Bright Subeti is Biodiversity Officer is recent graduate with Bachelor of Environmental Studies  responsible for  irrigation systems.

Ms.Mavis Chiyambi has vast experience in healthy to ensure safety and quality of crops to sell for human consumption.

We are currently partnering with the Tony Elumelu Foundation which provides free platform to internet marketing and also links for training necessary  and also with other entrepreneurs in Africa to exchange knowledge and solutions to transform Africa for better for all.

I am one of the 1000 entrepreneurs selected in 2015 by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (www.tonyelumelufoundation.org) from more than 20000 applicants in Africa for agribusiness innovation of creating guaranteed market of cereal and legume crops grown by smallholder farmers in the rural to transform Africa and feed the world. In April 2017, I am one of the 25 that was selected from Central and Southern African Countries by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) www.awardfellowships.org for innovation of considering gender in the agribusiness

Revenue will be generated by bulk sell of cereal and legume crops to bulk buyers and processors like manufacturing companies like millers, livestock manufacturers  that is with a mark-up on the cost of sales. The crops are bean coffee, maize, rice, common beans, millet, groundnuts, sorghum etc.

Solar water pump systems will be sold to smallholder farmers initially on long term loan basis since we understand that they are the producers of our products. This is a strategy to develop the culture to adapt to drought as well as increase the volume of production by the use of irrigation. The solar water pump systems provided as loans will attract interest.

We shall distribute maize seed and fertilizers to fifty smallholder farmers as loan. Each farmer is to receive 10kg of maize seed for one hectare and 8bags of 50kg fertilizers four for basal dressing and four for top dressing. The maximum yield per hectare is Two hundred and Eighty (280) fifty kg bags for the maize seed which we shall purchase from seedco and distribute as loan and each farmer shall pay back One hundred and Twenty bags of fifty Kg bags which we shall sell at an estimated $10 per 50Kg of maize to millers so that we continue the program and increase the number of smallholder farmers to have access to seed and fertilizers.

Expected total yield of maize from 50 smallholder farmers in one year is 50x 280 x 50kg of maize(corn) =700000kg= 700mt with the market value of $140000  Note that the price is set at $10 per 50kg bag of maize.

The barriers we think Solve can help us overcome are financial barriers to accelerate our impact solution of prospering together with smallholder farmers by changing their agricultural production cycle of than of just depending on the rain and for the rural poor to have access to agricultural inputs for their farming because of our unique agribusiness model. I am applying to Solve

to acquire:

• Increased understanding of the strategies behind sustainable business and responsible leadership and its links to business from an international perspective to apply in the development of the organisation
• Increased personal competitiveness on a global level.
• Access to the knowledge of top leaders in business and the public sector.
• International network of future top management.
• Knowledge in business to be applied to solve agriculture challenges and contribute to solving day to day challenges using strategic management skills. To be a leader in applying top management skills to solve day to day challenges in Africa so that we have better livelihood for all.
• Strategic capacity to solve new climate change challenges in agriculture, knowledge and skills required to run the agribusiness enterprise to meet current and future agricultural challenges and food security by being able to design business models which will help smallholder farmers in rural areas manage natural resources as well as formulating innovative business plans that work for the enterprise while meeting rural community expectations and all stakeholders. To increase the volume and value of agribusiness based on the output of smallholder farmers in rural areas.

Not applicable

1. Vodafone Americas Foundation by providing grant fund of $75000 to purchase inputs for agriculture and solar water pump systems for irrigation for 175 rural women in Mafinga District Muchinga province Zambia so that they could be growing crops throughout the year under irrigation for them to have increased income to educate girl children. 

2.Andan Foundation we expect a grant of $50000 to empower refugees with the innovation of using solar water pump systems for irrigation.

3 .Morgridge Family Foundation we expect grant of $25000 to

Expected total yield of maize from 125 smallholder farmers is 125x280x50kg of maize(corn)=1750000kg=1750mt with the market value of $385000 Note that the price is set at $11 per 50kg bag of maize

5 General Motors we expect grant of $50000 to scale the application of our unique agribusiness model indicated above.

Not applicable

General Motors we expect grant of $50000 to scale the application of our unique agribusiness model.Expected total yield of maize from 125 smallholder farmers is 125x280x50kg of maize(corn)=1750000kg=1750mt with the market value of $385000 Note that the price is set at $11 per 50kg bag of maize.

The amount needed for the pilot program is $20000. $2000 will be used to purchase 50x10kg seeds of maize at $40 per 10kg, $10400 will be used to purchase 400 bags of fertilizers to distribute to 50 smallholder farmers to receive 8 bags each and $8160/year as salaries and distribution and monitoring smallholder farmers during the pilot project and we shall make total turnover of 120 x50kgx $10=$60000 after repayment of loan by 50 smallholder farmers.

The smallholder farmers to be paid for commodities purchased from them using  mobile phone payment system for security in the rural both to the company  as well as smallholder farmers for them to increase saving as well as quick recovery of solar water pump systems loans. Another service is that of ploughing the fields quickly using the tractor for the smallholder farmers to increase size of hectares for growing crops under irrigation. This will increase income at household level as well as food security for smallholder farmers and for them to concentrate on farming as source of income unlike cutting trees for charcoal for sell which affect the climate change.

The inputs will initially be distributed to one hundred and seventy five smallholder farmer women after inspection of where they live and that they have land of one hectare to grow the maize and should know that the inputs distributed to them is a loan which have to be paid in form of the maize they are to harvest and we shall ensure the seed and fertilizers distributed to them is the one which gives yield of 280 of 50kg per hectare with good management and shall only fully pay back the loan for 120 of 50kg bags so that other smallholder farmer women should also benefit from the program after we sell these bags to purchase again inputs to distribute to other smallholder farmer women.  We propose to start the pilot program on 1 November 2019 since the rain starts in November. Total expected production of maize 2450metric tonnes of which the women will benefit from having total of 1400metric tonnes of maize with estimated value of $280000. Our enterprise will collect 1050 metric tonnes of maize to sell to give inputs to other women again to drastically reduce poverty in the rural.

 Girl children will have access to education because parents will be able to pay school fees from increased income from maize sell. Poverty will reduce drastically in Mafinga District as there will be increase in the production of maize to feed the increasing population.

Andan Foundation we expect a grant of $50000 to empower refugees with the innovation of using solar water pump systems for irrigation so that refugees could become not a burden to host countries that they could grow crops to feed themselves throughout the year by using our unique agribusiness model of changing agricultural production cycle of smallholder farmers while providing them with guaranteed market for their cereal and legume crops.

Not applicable

Morgridge Family Foundation we expect grant of $25000 to purchase solar water pump systems for irrigation give and train smallholder farmers to use this technology to be growing crops through out the year under irrigation to overcome drought as well as increase production of the crops to feed the fast increasing population.

Expected total yield of maize from 50 smallholder farmers  is 50x 280 x 50kg of maize(corn) =700000kg= 700mt with the market value of $140000  Note that the price is set at $10 per 50kg bag of maize

The amount needed for the pilot program is $25000. $2000 will be used to purchase 50x10kg seeds of maize at $40 per 10kg, $10400 will be used to purchase 400 bags of fertilizers to distribute to 50 smallholder farmers to receive 8 bags each and $13160/year as salaries and distribution and monitoring smallholder farmers during the pilot project and we shall make total turnover of 120 x50kgx $10=$60000 after repayment of loan by 50 smallholder farmers. The smallholder farmers will benefit  by having total expected yield of 160 bags of 50kg each after paying 120 bags as full payment of loan to benefit other farmers as well who could not afford to purchase inputs for their farming.

 Girl children will have access to education because parents will be able to pay school fees from increased income from maize sell. Poverty will reduce drastically in Mafinga District as there will be increase in the production of maize to feed the increasing population.

Not applicable.